JOE, needs to play more guys.

[liam]

The guys out there have played well enough to get double digit leads - the problem is they lose focus and desperation and play like it?s a simple exhibition game just going one on one and either jacking up a bad shot, a desperation 3, or turnover

This team has no go to guy

Agreed. Blame lies with the players.

They haven't performed well enough.

That's when you play other players. Ones that want to go out there and play hard. We need to play with more energy and there are guys on our bench that would play all out if they ever got on the court. When we start walking the ball up the court I know it's losing time. Why have Tatum bring the ball up at all never mind using JB as a ball handler...

Which deep bench player is going to change the offense?

We don't have a 3rd string PG who can do it. Our backup wings are spot-up shooters. Our 3rd string C (Queta) is a rim runner just like our 2nd string C is (Kornet).

In games were it was primarily about offensive execution, I don't see how deep bench guys are going to change things. They don't have the ball in their hands. They don't create their own offense. They don't push tempo.

-----------------------

This is where having a real 3rd string PG would have been useful instead of JD Davison. Someone who can come in and be a change of pace of guard.

We have two big combo guards (Jrue, D White) and a scoring PG off the bench in Pritchard. Having someone who can come in and play with pace. Push the tempo. That would be great.

Pritchard could push tempo if they weren't constantly taking the ball out of his hands to run the clock down to 4-5 seconds for a heave... JD Davidson would probably be the fastest guy on the court if he could get on it. Doing the same thing over and over when it's not working is the definition of insanity.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Veteran Torrey Craig....been in the playoffs, won't choke....But Joe is dumb and has convinced them all that he's smart.

[liam]

Veteran Torrey Craig....been in the playoffs, won't choke....But Joe is dumb and has convinced them all that he's smart.

I don't think he's dumb but he does seem very inflexible... We seem to be running out of gas at the end of games. He could at least play some bench guys in the first half and some of the 3rd.

[Roy H.]

Should have kept Walker and Brissett.

We need to have bench players that Joe can give a few minutes to in the playoffs if only for energy and to change things up. I think Q could give you more than KP at this point. I really thought Torrey Craig could get some minutes for D and hustle. The way Scheierman was playing at the end of the year would get him a look. With Hauser out, KP looking bad and Horford getting too many minutes I thought Joe might try something to change the energy.

Oh, I agree with you.  During some of these 6+ minute stretches where we're not scoring a thing, why not put in a guy for some energy?

I'm also not being facetious about Walker and Brissett.  They're both the types of guy that we could use right now.  I think Brad misjudged our roster a small bit.  We need more than 8 or 9 playable players.

[liam]

Should have kept Walker and Brissett.

We need to have bench players that Joe can give a few minutes to in the playoffs if only for energy and to change things up. I think Q could give you more than KP at this point. I really thought Torrey Craig could get some minutes for D and hustle. The way Scheierman was playing at the end of the year would get him a look. With Hauser out, KP looking bad and Horford getting too many minutes I thought Joe might try something to change the energy.

Oh, I agree with you.  During some of these 6+ minute stretches where we're not scoring a thing, why not put in a guy for some energy?

I'm also not being facetious about Walker and Brissett.  They're both the types of guy that we could use right now.  I think Brad misjudged our roster a small bit.  We need more than 8 or 9 playable players.

I'd take Walker and Brissett if Joe would play them... He did the same thing against the Heat in game 7 in 2023 where he played Tatum on a sprained ankle 42 minutes and only had two guys off the bench in double figures...


https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401547678

[Roy H.]

Should have kept Walker and Brissett.

We need to have bench players that Joe can give a few minutes to in the playoffs if only for energy and to change things up. I think Q could give you more than KP at this point. I really thought Torrey Craig could get some minutes for D and hustle. The way Scheierman was playing at the end of the year would get him a look. With Hauser out, KP looking bad and Horford getting too many minutes I thought Joe might try something to change the energy.

Oh, I agree with you.  During some of these 6+ minute stretches where we're not scoring a thing, why not put in a guy for some energy?

I'm also not being facetious about Walker and Brissett.  They're both the types of guy that we could use right now.  I think Brad misjudged our roster a small bit.  We need more than 8 or 9 playable players.

I'd take Walker and Brissett if Joe would play them... He did the same thing against the Heat in game 7 in 2023 where he played Tatum on a sprained ankle 42 minutes and only had two guys off the bench in double figures...


https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401547678

Yeah, the Miami series was a hot mess.  Brogdon had a torn tendon in his elbow, and Joe had him out there playing instead of giving any time to Pritchard, Hauser, etc.

[liam]

Should have kept Walker and Brissett.

We need to have bench players that Joe can give a few minutes to in the playoffs if only for energy and to change things up. I think Q could give you more than KP at this point. I really thought Torrey Craig could get some minutes for D and hustle. The way Scheierman was playing at the end of the year would get him a look. With Hauser out, KP looking bad and Horford getting too many minutes I thought Joe might try something to change the energy.

Oh, I agree with you.  During some of these 6+ minute stretches where we're not scoring a thing, why not put in a guy for some energy?

I'm also not being facetious about Walker and Brissett.  They're both the types of guy that we could use right now.  I think Brad misjudged our roster a small bit.  We need more than 8 or 9 playable players.

I'd take Walker and Brissett if Joe would play them... He did the same thing against the Heat in game 7 in 2023 where he played Tatum on a sprained ankle 42 minutes and only had two guys off the bench in double figures...


https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401547678

Yeah, the Miami series was a hot mess.  Brogdon had a torn tendon in his elbow, and Joe had him out there playing instead of giving any time to Pritchard, Hauser, etc.

Feels like deja vu all over again...

[liam]

If Steve Kerr can do it Joe can:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/kuminga-tjd-could-force-kerrs-230958932.html

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Veteran Torrey Craig....been in the playoffs, won't choke....But Joe is dumb and has convinced them all that he's smart.

I don't think he's dumb but he does seem very inflexible... We seem to be running out of gas at the end of games. He could at least play some bench guys in the first half and some of the 3rd.

running out of gas at end of games? where did i see that before? oh yes! 2010 finals! KG confirmed as much! THANKS AGAIN DOC RIVERS! 

[wdleehi]

We are really reaching for reason's to blame the coach.   The top players are averaging the same minutes per game in the playoffs this year as they did last year.   


I mean Brissett averaged 5.5 minutes playing in 10 out of 19 games.   Don't see how he would have been some kind of savior.   

[otherdave]

Agreed.  I have never understood all of the love Brissett gets here.  Yes he played with energy and hustle, but with very few actual basketball skills - especially offensively.

I always thought Lamar Stevens had just as much hustle but could actually score from 8 feet (and in) from the basket.

I was shocked (and happy) when Brissett opted out of his second year contract.

[Vermont Green]

We are really reaching for reason's to blame the coach.   The top players are averaging the same minutes per game in the playoffs this year as they did last year.   

And almost exactly the same as the main guys on the Knicks and pretty much every other playoff team.

Playing Queta or Scheierman unless we are absolutely forced to due to injury or foul trouble is not the answer.  Our main guys need to play better, especially in the 4th.  Period.  It is not complicated.

[boscel33]

WE looked gassed in the 4th again! We have guys that can come in and play as bad as the starters for a few minutes. Joe is just too stubborn to try anything new! 

Really sad!

If Hauser is out for Game 3, he needs to go to Baylor and take a shot!

[bdm860]

Which deep bench player is going to change the offense?

We don't have a 3rd string PG who can do it. Our backup wings are spot-up shooters. Our 3rd string C (Queta) is a rim runner just like our 2nd string C is (Kornet).

In games were it was primarily about offensive execution, I don't see how deep bench guys are going to change things. They don't have the ball in their hands. They don't create their own offense. They don't push tempo.

I would disagree with this a little (and count me with the Brissett fans). You don't need to be an offensive player to provide a spark: a rebound, a steal, a deflection, these are all things that can help you get easy buckets on the other end or keep a possession alive. Anything on the defensive end helps with both momentum and simply not allowing the other team to set up on D.

Specifically about Brissett, he only played meaningful minutes in 2 playoff games last year 5/23 and 5/25 against the Pacers (Kornett sprained his wrist earlier in the game on 5/23, leading to Brissett's minutes). As soon as he goes in, he grabs a rebound, has a deflection, has a steal, successfully covers both McConnell and Turner. He was +15 not including garbage time minutes. (To be fair, next game he was -6, but then Tillman gets some minutes with the starters and is +12, another deeper bench guy getting some time).

I'm always a fan of putting some deeper (but capable) bench guys out there on a very short leash, both to give key guys a brief rest, and just to throw a curve/changeup to the other team expecting a fastball. Not specifically a Joe criticism, because this is something most coaches don't do, and it's hard to argue the C's are tired when we're playing against a Thibs team (with 4 guys averaging 40+ mpg and coming off a series with less rest), but here we are.

[Goldstar88]

Let?s start the bench. I think that would really catch NY off guard.